As I sit here contemplating the cold winter storm and gaze at my Airstream I occasionally say to myself, "Self I say, why on earth did they build it this way?"

I promptly answer "Cost, Silly".

So here is a pet peeve in the Safari Storage lockers - They put a wood strip on the floor to mount hinges on, then the under seat storage cabinets open by pulling the door DOWN to the floor. A 2" x 1" strip to mount the hinges on limits the floor space under the cabinet - and you have to drag whatever OUT over top of that strip, the hinges and the supine door. So I says to myself, "Self, I says, what would be a better Idea?"

This won't work on the overhead cabinets but under the dinette and couch, YESSSSSS! See me storing my Shark Vacuum under the dinette, permanently plugged in, lift door, slide back, pull vacuum out on it's little wheels and This Sucks... in the nicest way possible. I store books under the couch in my 25 FB... and only the smallest ones aren't cocked up at an angle on the bottom hinge brace. OOOOOOH.

I'm inspired and perspired. Gotta order a set of these to try!

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I just wasted this weekend on a truly silly project. The wall opposite the throne in my bathroom has an odd little board on the floor that projects almost 2 inches into the bathroom. I can't snug a tiny wastebasket right up against the bathroom wall. (Foot space is at a premium). I have a very small Simple Human covered stainless steel waste basket - rounded in the front, flattish in the back. So, I set the waste basket on a piece of heavy paper, made a template that I cut out and traced on the "baseboard" - and then went nuts with my Dremel. OMDG! I hate MDF. Next time remind me to buy a good wood chisel and be done with it! The good news - the waste basket fits snug against the wall - and I even have a lanyard on the wall that will hold it in place while underway. Of course if I ever get a new waste basket it won't fit in the custom cutout. (Oh in case you're wondering how I avoided cutting into the vinyl floor.... well here is another case of "the Girl's Toolkit"... I went to the thrift store next to my workplace and bought a used pancake flipper for 50 cents... you guessed it, I slid it between the board I was cutting and the vinyl. Girls RULE!)

Aluminitis - and I bought new so I wouldn't be doing this kind of thing.

Paula

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Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.

I like that slide. If you use these they need to be mounted very parallel to work well, which won't be a problem for you from what I've read in this thread and others you have contributed to. I'm not familiar with newer AS'S method of cabinet construction, actually have'nt been inside of one with less than 35 years on it. Mine has flimsy 1/4" partitions that are not flush with the sides of the openings and would require added blocking to mount this type of slide. Hopefully yours has flush partitions. That would be an easy install.
My main reason for this reply, though, is that I thought you might possibly remove the bottom rails to get more height available, and on mine the bottom rail is screwed to the floor. removing mine would leave the front of the gaucho mostly unattached and loose. Probably different than yours, but I thought I would mention it in case.
Also, I enjoy reading your posts and thought it was time to say hello!
Happy streaming, Rich

I like that slide. If you use these they need to be mounted very parallel to work well, which won't be a problem for you from what I've read in this thread and others you have contributed to. I'm not familiar with newer AS'S method of cabinet construction, actually have'nt been inside of one with less than 35 years on it. Mine has flimsy 1/4" partitions that are not flush with the sides of the openings and would require added blocking to mount this type of slide. Hopefully yours has flush partitions. That would be an easy install.
My main reason for this reply, though, is that I thought you might possibly remove the bottom rails to get more height available, and on mine the bottom rail is screwed to the floor. removing mine would leave the front of the gaucho mostly unattached and loose. Probably different than yours, but I thought I would mention it in case.
Also, I enjoy reading your posts and thought it was time to say hello!
Happy streaming, Rich

Thank you - good points. Take a look at Colonial's website www.colonialairstream.com. Their pictures of the 25 FB models are pretty good. There are under seat cabinets on the roadside dinette and side couch/bed. You can see that they have bin pulls to open them. The side walls are 1" MDF with that thin white laminate you see in Home Depot. Should be plenty sturdy for the hinges. Under the dinette? On the curved end there is no "sidewall". I'll probably mount a piece of 2" x 2" to the underside of the bench on the curved side, and mount the left hinge to that.

As to the bottom rail... I'll probably leave 2 inch "nubs" near the sidewalls. I'll make sure to put a screw through each nub.

It's too effen cold to lie on the floor and study it in detail tonight. As soon as it warms up, I'll check it out.

Paula

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Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.

Are you kidding, did they really use 1" mdf in there?
They must have forgotten the reasons why Wally kept them light.
My '64 Safari, at 22 feet, is 1/2 the weight of a new 25 footer.
They should be ashamed. Every unnecessary pound on our trailers is costing us in mileage and causing us to resort to more powerful TV's, with even worse mileage.
Happy birthday, Saudi Arabia!

The "nubs" are a great idea Paula. I should have guessed you would have it covered.
Good luck, Rich

A friend of ours with a boat had the perfect solution for the bathroom wastebasket problem. She made a bag out of upholstery grade vinyl big enough to line with a plastic garbage bag or those cheap 4 gallon bags from Dollar Tree. I velcroed it to the wall, and voila - a garbage "can" that takes up no floor space.

Like the slide idea. I have trouble getting the doors under the couch open, so only store things I seldom use. A real waste of prime storage space.

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